1. Technical Field of the Inventor
The present invention relates generally to telephonic communication networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a conferencing circuit, and an associated method, for automatically conferencing subscriber units of a telephonic communication network together in a common, conference connection.
2. Description of Related Art
Telephonic communication networks have been installed throughout significant portions of the world to permit telephonic communication thereupon. A subscriber to a telephonic communication network communicates telephonically by way of a subscriber unit, such as a conventional telephonic apparatus having a telephonic keypad and a telephonic handset. Both voice and data communication is permitted through the telephonic communication network.
A communication link is typically effectuated between subscriber units of the network when a subscriber positioned at a first subscriber unit enters a directory, or other identification number associated with a second subscriber unit. The directory number is routed by appropriate switches and such switches form a communication link between the first and second subscriber units when the second subscriber is taken "off-hook."
Many telephonic communication networks further permit conferencing between subscribers at more than two subscriber stations simultaneously. Once conferenced together, subscribers positioned at many varied locations are able to participate jointly in conversations.
Conferencing between several subscribers by way of a telephonic communication network permits group discussions or meetings to be conducted by telephone rather than in-person. The need otherwise to conduct a face-to-face meeting can oftentimes be obviated by instead conferencing together groups of people by way of a telephonic communication network. Accordingly, use of conferencing by way of a telephonic communication network is oftentimes a very cost-effective manner by which to conduct discussions or meetings.
Certain business personnel, for instance, make use of the conferencing capabilities of a telephonic communication network with regularity. In many instances, the same personnel are conferenced together periodically, sometimes weekly, and sometimes even daily. Technical coordination meetings and sales or management meetings are examples of business meetings which are sometimes conducted by conferencing together the same personnel.
Some telephonic communication networks provide subscribers thereto with a service referred to as "three-way calling." Through such a service, three separate subscribers to the communication network are conferenced together to permit joint conversations between the three subscribers.
To conference together the subscribers, a subscriber (the "initiating" or "calling" subscriber) subscribing to the three-way calling service first initiates formation of a communication link with a subscriber positioned at a second subscriber unit. The initiating subscriber can then add an additional subscriber to the existing two-party communication link. Typically, addition of the third subscriber to the two-party communication link, thereby to form a three-party communication link, is effectuated when the initiating subscriber momentarily depresses a telephonic switchhook and enters the directory number of the third subscriber. Once a communication link is effectuated between the initiating subscriber and the third subscriber, the initiating subscriber again momentarily depresses the switchhook to bridge the two separate communication links together, thereby to conference together the three subscribers.
In some telephonic communication networks, the assistance of an operator is required to conference together the subscribers, particularly when more than three subscribers are to be conferenced together. Even in networks which permit an initiating subscriber to initiate the conferencing together of more than three subscribers, the initiating subscriber is required to enter at least the directory numbers associated with each of the subscriber units at which the other subscribers are positioned each time in which conferencing is desired.
A manner by which a plurality of subscribers could be conferenced together without requiring operator intervention and without requiring an initiating subscriber repeatedly to input long series of input commands or directory numbers when conferencing together the same groups of subscribers would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to conferencing capabilities of telephonic communications network that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.